I disagree. Yes, some skaters have managed to coach themselves to Nats and Worlds medals, but there is a reason why 99.99% of competitive skaters still retain their coaches. It's simply wiser to have a second set of eyes evaluating your training sessions, since you can't watch yourself skate and--as was mentioned by several others--professionals are useful for pointing out the tiny details that could become major slips or falls. If it were a matter of pure ability or self-motivation, as you suggest, then a good majority of the international names would be on their own, but it's much more than that.

I think you are taking my comments out of context - it would be better and or best to have a coach - there is a reason coaches were invented - technique, outside view, different expertise, help guide the ship, saner mind .... but if worse came to worse one could compete with a coach (sort of like P Chan) but it is not the best. Mind you the right coach is important to (P Chan again - modern dance teacher not the best probably without a tech coach)

I think you are taking my comments out of context - it would be better and or best to have a coach - there is a reason coaches were invented - technique, outside view, different expertise, help guide the ship, saner mind .... but if worse came to worse one could compete with a coach (sort of like P Chan) but it is not the best. Mind you the right coach is important to (P Chan again - modern dance teacher not the best probably without a tech coach)

I'm still not quite clear on your meaning, then. If coaches provide so many obvious benefits, why would a skater risk developing bad habits by training and competing without one? Wouldn't he/she keep in practice, but not compete until a new coach was found?

I'm still not quite clear on your meaning, then. If coaches provide so many obvious benefits, why would a skater risk developing bad habits by training and competing without one? Wouldn't he/she keep in practice, but not compete until a new coach was found?

There is nothing to prevent a skater from competing without a coach, although I know that Skate Canada insists that a skater have a Level 3 or 4 coach with them at international events, hence Mira Leung hiring a coach to go on the GP circuit with her and then telling the woman not to talk to her all weekend.

Skaters cannot see themselves skate, and a coach can see the element in real time and pick up on any minor form breaks before they become habits. Commentators will often say "He/she missed that jump because they dropped their shoulder" or something that you or I wouldn't see or understand the implications of even if we did notice it.

The old expression "The devil is in the details" holds very true when it comes to skating. Positions, extension, small nuances to the program - every point matters and skaters need to maximize both their GoE and their PCS. Skaters need that sharp eye on the technical details, as well as someone with the training and experience to work on the program details.

I'm still not quite clear on your meaning, then. If coaches provide so many obvious benefits, why would a skater risk developing bad habits by training and competing without one? Wouldn't he/she keep in practice, but not compete until a new coach was found?

Right. If Miki does not have a coach does that mean she isn't training? Its much harder to train without a coach than compete without one. By withdrawing, it seems to me that she had to stop training...hope she can pull it together by nationals!